Diseased
by Maggie4
Summary: Roxton becomes infected with an unusual disease and the explorers get more than they bragained for when they try to help him. *r&r* V Short C5 Up
1. Default Chapter

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DISEASED

Chapter One

PRESENT DAY

"Where shall I start? I'll try and tell you what happened at the beginning but that seems so long ago" The storyteller stopped for a moment deep in thought. "The beginning I think would've been a week ago but the days seem so hazy now everything is flowing into one big nightmare. We were on the plateau I remember that, back in 1922, Marguerite and Roxton had gone to collect supplies from the Zanga --"

The old, balding reporter from 'The San Francisco Chronicle' held up his hand to silence the man before him, he wrote down all the details of what he's being told in a black, leather bound notebook. After a long pause the reporter looked up "Continue please". "Where was I…Oh yeah, they were an hour late but we weren't too worried, it wasn't unusual for them too…Get side tracked. Then when the sun was just stating to set we heard Marguerite shouting us, she was terrified".

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FLASH BACK

"Challanger…Veronica…Malone!" Marguerite paused for a few seconds to catch her breath as she dragged Roxton behind the safety of the electric fence. "Where are you!" Her screams were almost drowned out by the heavy rain and thunder that clapped in the distance, she rocked Roxton in her lap, his head in her arms.

She wiped the mixture of dirt and blood off his face, his eyes were closed and his breathing shallow and coming in short gasps. Marguerite kept a hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat making sure he was still alive "Please don't die". She felt someone pull her back and she pushed Veronica back to follow Challanger and Malone as they carried him into the treehouse.

Challanger and Malone laid Roxton on the bed, Marguerite began patting a cold, wet cloth against Roxton's forehead while Challanger changed the bloody bandage on Roxton's leg, "He won't last much longer Challanger".

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PRESENT DAY

"There was so much blood we didn't think he'd survive the night, we kept our hopes up though for Marguerite's sake. She didn't show it but we knew she was scared for him Roxton was a fighter though a fever couldn't stop him, he woke two, three days later battered and bruised but awake".

Malone paused to let the doubtful reporter speak "How did he get in such a state Mr Malone?" Malone laughed knowing the reaction he would get "A raptor".

The reporter almost dropped his notes, he looked at Malone in surprise "A…A dinosaur!" The blond haired young man nodded before continuing "They'd been making there way back home when a group had attacked them they would have had enough bullets left but for a run in with Headhunters earlier in the day. The surviving had attacked them and it got Roxton…Things were starting to get back to normal when he started to show signs of a fever, we thought it would pass but it got a whole lot worse".

"He was so weak he could hardly lift a cup let alone walk, Challanger and I fashioned a stretcher and took him to the Zanga to see if they could help him, their medicine man said he had the dinosaur death…Here I think the doctors call it Kalabo fever".

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FLASHBACK

"Do something Challanger for Gods sake don't just stand by and watch him die!" Marguerite stood by her eyes glazing as she watched Roxton in agony beside her, Challanger looked at him fighting with his own hidden emotions "I am truly sorry but I don't know how to save him"

Veronica laid a comforting hand on the scientists shoulder "She isn't blaming you she's just upset" "I feel so helpless" Veronica nodded "We all do".

Marguerite leaned against a tree waiting for the inevitable "Marguerite?" she turned her head slightly as she heard her name being called, Roxton held out a white hand to her. She slowly walked over to him, taking his hand she kneeled beside him "Ssh save your strength John" She gently stroked his pale cheek and laid her head on his chest as he fell asleep again, a solitary tear slid down the side of her cheek and into the grass. "I have it, I know what to do!" Marguerite looked up as Challanger and Veronica ran towards her.

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PRESENT DAY

"We trusted Challanger and if he thought his plan would work , it hopefully would. You see a few months back before 1922, he built a machine to take them back to London, instead it transported them to the future a lot of other things happened there but that's beside the point. A young girl, Finn, who had hitched a ride back to our time was sent back to New Amazonia, where she came from, after a lot of weird things happened and when everything returned to normal Finn never came back. Challanger had built another machine, with certain modifications, to bring her back"

The reporter interrupted again "And that's how you got here in a…Time Machine?"

"Well yeah we didn't intentionally come here though we just wanted to get to a place that knew how to help Roxton"

The reporter closed his notebook and looked up " What next?" he asked almost enthralled with the tale. A nurse came to Malone's side to change the drip.

"I can only tell you what happened to me the rest of the story is for the others to tell.

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TBC…

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Go ahead and review* 


	2. The Next Interview

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CHAPTER TWO

Present Day

The reporter hurried through the deserted corridors of the hospital searching for the quarantine area he stopped by a closed off room with security outside of it, a doctor stopped him as he tried to get past. "That's a clean room sir, you'll have to leave only authorised personnel can stay here"

"Is there anyway I can speak with the ladies inside?" The doctor led him round the corner "Press the button and speak through the intercom five minutes no more".

He did as the doctor told him and he saw Marguerite and Veronica look to where he was standing, Veronica banged on the glass "Let us out of here!" He noticed Marguerite hadn't moved from where she was sat, she had removed her mask and was leaning against a bed in the corner, on it sat a man sleeping peacefully. "I'm a reporter Miss I've interviewed Mr Malone --" "Malone! You saw Malone? Is he alright?" 

The reporter nodded smiling "Uh yes perfectly fine" she looked relieved, he had to lie to her the nurse had told him not to divulge any information in case it leaked out and the citizens were worried enough as it was. "Miss Layton is it possible that you could tell me what happened one you arrived in San Francisco?" 

Marguerite half listened as the reporter and Veronica spoke through the intercom she'd given up trying to get the doctors attentions days ago, unless it was to take blood and run more tests, they weren't listening. The only outside contact they had was when men from the CDC came to check on them and they weren't great conversationalists.

She drifted in and out of sleep, she didn't want to stay asleep for long the dreams would come again and they worried her, they were vivid like she was living them here and now. It was always the same. _She was a little girl walking in between her parents both holding either one of her hands, they held her weight and she swung in between them, happy. Then a man came her parents let go of her hand and spoke to the man who hadn't seen her, the man shouted at her father then shot him. Her mother threw herself at the stranger hitting him as hard as she could, the man grabbed her and something fell to the floor. Little Marguerite stayed in her hiding place behind a post box and watched as the man shot her mother, he knelt down and looked in their pockets, taking off her fathers watch and grabbing his wallet.Then he pulled the wedding ring off her mothers finger, she saw his face clearly before he ran. Little Marguerite ran to her parents she heard footsteps, the man was coming back, she grabbed the locket off the floor then ran._

Marguerite couldn't remember that ever happening in her life, her parents had left her she know if they'd have been killed.

Veronica pulled up a chair near the window while the reporter waited for her to begin. "We'd been split up from Malone and Challanger and we didn't know where we were…"

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One week earlier

A bright yellow light flashed across the small park causing one child to fall off her swing in surprise, the place was almost empty but at the sight of the three people clad in unusual clothes appearing before them caused a crowd to gather.

Veronica shivered as she looked around "It's freezing here" Marguerite helped the half-dead Roxton to his feet "where's here?"

One helpful kid stepped towards them "You're in San Francisco" she stepped back hurriedly when Veronica knelt in front of here "hi can you tell me what year it is?" The girl shrugged "Well sure it's the year 2000 didn't you know that lady?" Marguerite looked around at their new, unusual surroundings. "I don't think Challanger and Malone made it" Veronica stood beside her worried "They will have…We don't have time to look for them though Roxton needs help" she turned around to speak to the kid again to find her gone only a couple of disturbed parents remained. Marguerite and Veronica let Roxton lean of each of them as they began walking towards the busy road.

Someone ran up to them and tapped Veronica on the shoulder "I think your friend needs medical attention" "I could've told you that" Marguerite snapped at him, he turned to Veronica looking her up and down "I'll show where the hospital is. " They smiled gratefully at the timid looking man and began to follow him "Veronica you should probably wear my coat you don't want to draw too much attention to us".

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Present Day

"He stopped a…a what's it called? A cab and brought us here, by then Roxton was getting much worse, we didn't know if he could hold on for much longer…"

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One week earlier

As soon as they got inside the hospital Roxton collapsed on the cold, white floor. Marguerite dropped down beside him trying to wake him up, Veronica heard shouting in the hospital and stepped out of the way as doctors rushed towards them, they carried him on to a trolley then wheeled him down the corridor trying to revive him.

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Present Day

" I don't know how long they kept us waiting but it seemed like years, when they took us to see him he was hooked up to all this strange equipment, they told us they were trying to find out what was wrong with him. They asked us all sorts of questions like, where have we been? We told them all we could but what were we going to tell them, we've been on a remote plateau and a shaman told us Roxton had dinosaur death" 

The reporter chuckled "Is your friend…" he glanced at his notes "Miss Krux alright?" Veronica turned to Marguerite where she hadn't moved "She's just worried, we all are…Do you know where Professor George Challanger is? Have you heard anything about him?"

"I was going to him when I spoke to you three…He's in jail".

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TBC…

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*You know what to do go ahead and review*

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	3. Jail

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CHAPTER THREE

PRESENT DAY

One week earlier

Challanger and Malone surveyed the area they'd found themselves in "What year is this?" Malone said to himself as he stepped onto the road looking up at the tall buildings in front of him. Challanger pulled him back hurriedly as a car sped, the driver beeping his horn. "Watch the damn road man!" Challanger gazed at the cars going past "What a marvellous contraption!" Malone ignored him running across the road before he almost got knocked down again by a van. He made his way towards a newspaper stand and looked at the date on the nearest magazine. "March 2000!" Challanger caught up with him and looked over his shoulder at the magazine "We came further forward than I intended…Though at least we left the plateau this time" Malone put the magazine back "We did but Marguerite and Veronica could be anywhere, Roxton might not be with them --"

A man took cover behind his car and aimed at Malone and Challanger "Why don't you stay where you are and put the weapons down!". The two explorers turned around to see a sandy haired man in a smart suit aiming a gun at them.

"Your outnumbered you put yours down" Malone said as he aimed at the plain clothed cop "I don't think so" Across the street a police car pulled into position unbeknownst to Challanger and Malone. "Look we can do this the hard way or my way now put the weapons down!"

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PRESENT DAY

"As you can imagine our carrying weapons didn't go down to well with the local authorities" Challanger chuckled at the memory, "What happened then professor?" The reporter asked as he sat on the other side of the bars. "Let me think…"

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One week earlier

The people walking past backed out of the way as Challanger fired a warning shot in the air, "We won't ask you again sir" Challanger spoke in a commanding voice.

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PRESENT DAY

That's when we noticed a police car on the other side of the street aiming at us of course we surrendered our weapons as soon as we found out who they were, unfortunately the officer didn't see things our way and here I am". "If Mr Malone was arrested with you how did he get to the hospital?" "Well Malone started to show signs of the early stages of Roxton's illness, we asked to see a doctor but to no avail" 

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One week earlier

"Challanger I don't feel to good" Challanger checked his temperature "Your running a slight fever". The younger man leant back against the cold wall trying to fight back a wave of nausea "Am I going to be next?" " Just lie down and rest Malone don't you worry" Challanger walked to the bars "Damn it man can't you see he needs a doctor!" the arrogant cop ignored Challanger.

"This is getting us no where…Remember what we talked about before? We have to do it now" Challanger looked at Malone, the two explorers looked at the drunk on the bench beside them. "I have an idea". 

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PRESENT DAY

"We had spoke to him earlier and he claimed he was being released a few hours later so we knocked him unconscious and Malone masqueraded as him, the police officer didn't notice a thing, when the drunkard awoke neither did he". "So professor how long do **you** have to stay here?" "When Roxton and Malone have been given the all clear I have no doubts we'll get back home".

* * *

"How is he?" Marguerite yawned and looked up at Veronica "The same as before" "Were you dreaming again?" Marguerite nodded wearily "Well everyone has dreams I did about my parents" "Veronica yours actually happened they were repressed memories" Veronica took up a chair by the bed that Roxton was asleep on "Maybe yours are too". Marguerite shook her head not wanting to believe it "I wish we could see Malone they haven't told us anything about him". "I'm sure they'd tell us if…If he was…Worse" Marguerite tried to reassure her friend. They silently watched the TV above them in an effort to take their minds off their problems.

'…And in other reports, a young woman was attacked outside her home yesterday her condition isn't serious but she's being kept in the hospital for observation. We can tell you the attacker was identified as Jack Tobin, the notorious killer who escaped prison late December last year. Jack Tobin has carried on his murder spree that he started February '99 when he robbed and murdered Jessica Haley…"

Marguerite stared at the screen in a trance "Marguerite what's wrong?" "Tha…That's the man from my dream Veronica…That's the man who killed my parents!"

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TBC…

I bet you saw that coming* Well I could've kept the story simple but I had to go and complicate matters.

*Remember be little readers and review*

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	4. Deceased

A/N: A very short chapter to keep you going.

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Chapter Four

"Marguerite that's impossible, you said your dream was just that, a dream…And even if it did happen that can't be the same man he'd be dead by now" 

Veronica fiddled with the buttons on the television attempting to turn the channel. "What do the symbols on this thing mean? How do you turn the channel?"

She succeeded in pressing the right button and the channel changed.

"And on the discovery channel today we'll be travelling through the wilds of the Amazon Jungle --"

Veronica switched the TV off.

"I'm actually starting to miss that damn plateau" Marguerite laughed slightly. 

"We'll get back **with **Roxton and Malone, and Challanger when he gets out of…The jail…I'd give anything to be able to see what happened, they must've been so surprised to --" 

She stopped short and followed Marguerite to Roxton's bedside. Marguerite stroked his cheek 

"Ssh don't try to speak" 

He clasped her hand. "I…I'm sorry Marguerite" 

Both Veronica and Marguerite looked to one another confused. 

"What for?" Marguerite asked gently, 

"I said I'd never leave you".

Veronica walked to the other side of the room, leaving them together.

"Oh you sweet, silly man. You have nothing to be sorry about and you won't leave me you hear me you won't because the doctors are going to find a cure. You'll be up and about in no time…" 

She trailed off when she saw his eyes close

"John please wake up…Wake up…"

She felt herself being pulled back out of the room and she faced a CDC official. 

"No! Let me go" 

"You're in the clear Miss Krux, you and Miss Layton will have to leave the premises immediately" 

She fought to reach Roxton but the man pulled her back 

"Your friend is in the best hands now let us do our work". 

Marguerite reluctantly let Veronica lead her towards the exit of the hospital.

"Do you think he has a chance sir?" one nurse asked the doctor in charge.

"I don't know but it doesn't look good" he remarked sadly.

* * *

Marguerite pulled away from Veronica as she tried to console her.

"I don't need your comfort", she said harshly.

"You know Roxton isn't the only one that's sick you don't think I'm hurting to!"

Marguerite turned slightly to face Veronica she saw a tear in the younger woman's eyes.

"I don't want to loose him, Roxton knows how you feel about him but I never told Ned anything.

She awkwardly pulled Veronica into a hug.

"You won't loose him Veronica, Malone is going to be fine…At least Malone and Roxton have nice warm beds for the night."

Veronica who was still wearing Marguerite's coat pulled a wad of cash out of the pocket.

"The man who brought us here gave me this I guess we looked poor or lost or something".

"Well then why don't we ride in one of these silly contraptions…"

She indicated a cab.

"And he can take us to the nearest hotel"

Veronica nodded in agreement.

* * *

"Doctor?" 

Malone shouted as loud as he could but his throat felt so dry like it would crack if he tried to speak too much. He slowly got off the bed and tried to ignore the violent wave of nausea that flowed through him. He tried to grab onto a chair to steady himself but his dizziness was obscuring his vision, he could see two of everything the room was blurry but he continued walking.

He rubbed his temples in a feeble attempt at making his thundering headache go away.

"I…I need water, please someone"

He fell to the floor knocking his drip to the floor with a clatter.

"Please help me!"

* * *

Veronica woke up in her hotel room early the next morning she yawned and stretched out of the comfortable bed, she looked across to where Marguerite was sleeping in the next bed.

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Wait a second.

"Marguerite?"

She got out of bed and looked around the room.

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"Where is she?"

She noticed a note on the bedside table.

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I had another dream and I know what to do.

M.

Veronica sighed "What are you up to now Marguerite?" 

She'd left and Veronica couldn't do a thing about it.

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TBC…

*R & R*


	5. Missing

Chapter Five 

Malone was unconscious when he was wheeled on a stretcher into the observation room that Roxton was asleep they were both hooked up to drips and an 'antidote' was being fed into their system. There had been an outbreak a couple of years ago though; it had been contained and the public never got to hear about it. The CDC didn't believe the explorers story, they were hoping Roxton and Malone's fever was of the same strain, they were hoping their cure would work.

Roxton tiredly opened his eyes and lifted his up head with difficulty, to see his surrounding's, he noticed the hospital bed beside him that contained Malone.

"Hey Malone? When did you get here?"

It was around five minutes before Malone answered he sounded out of breath when he did so and his words came out in raspy breaths, "I don't know…I…Fell I think…My heads…Pounding".

"What happened to Marguerite and Veronica?"

Malone would've shook his head if he could move it, "I thought they…. Were with…You".

Roxton closed his eyes and laid back, "God no please don't let anything have happened to them!"

* * *

Marguerite wandered through the streets trying to remember which route the cab had taken to get to the hospital the day before she'd been walking she guessed for about a half hour.

She'd had another dream the night before she remembered reading somewhere about a man that was vaguely familiar to her turning up at the hospital that one of his surviving victims was in, he'd attempted to finish off the job. Marguerite had a feeling this killer would do the same thing.

* * *

Susie Asher lay in her hospital bed staring up at the ceiling she was bored but thankful she was still alive, Tobin had only succeeded in pushing her down the stairs despite the searing pain from her broken leg she'd managed to find a security guard before the killer could do any more damage. She was nervous though being in a room on her own in the almost deserted hospital; she'd found out of the talkative police man that was guarding her room that some people had been brought in, in a bad way and the hospital staff were busy with them.

The cop wasn't at his post outside her door and she began to worry she could see a person standing outside the room; the person opened the door.

"Hello?" Susie called out in a timid voice; she tried to get off the bed but she couldn't move her leg, "Please leave me alone!"

"Its Okay I'm not here to hurt you" the person shut the door behind them and began to walk to the bed, "You're coming with me".

Susie saw the face of Tobin in front of her…Then he fell to the floor. 

TBC… 


End file.
